Energizer bunny hits iPhone, BlackBerry - wirelessly

The wireless power consortium, Qi, is celebrating the launch of a solution with a known brand - Energizer - attached, but the technology is still a long way from the mainstream.

The Energizer Inductive Charger will be available in the USA next month, along with a sleeve that fits round an iPhone 3GS to Qi-enable it, and a replacement battery for the BlackBerry Curve that does the same thing, thus making both devices compatible with the future of wireless charging.

Energizer isn't the first Qi-compatible charging mat - Power Mat has been selling them for a while - but it is the first from a recognised brand with enough presence to get the devices into Target stores. The company has also made an irritating video espousing the virtues of going wireless:

It has to be a comedy video, because there aren't many advantages to get excited about until the technology is built into devices. Nokia and RIM are both members of the Qi Consortium, so it could happen eventually, but special batteries and sleeves aren't going to have mass appeal no matter how comedic the accents. ®